CFD investigates blaze in Chicago's Back of the Yards community
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Firefighters spent hours battling an extra-alarm fire at a Back of the Yards food processing plant on Thursday.
It was dangerous, made worse by high winds.
CBS 2's Sara Machi late Thursday dug into the building's safety records for clues on what caused the fire.
Aggressive flames jumped through the roof of the building at 41st and Halsted streets. Smoke billowed up, engulfing the firefighters who struggle to contain the flames in windy conditions.
"Wind is always a problem. Fire creates some wind. So it doesn't help when you have 20-mile-an-hour winds today," said District Chief Jim McDonough.
Firefighters were called to the Evans Food Group processing plant around 8:30 a.m., just as the facility's first shift came on the clock.
They found a fire in the front building that then spread to several other buildings that connected through the back.
The size and scope of this blaze forced firefighters to take a defensive approach. A strategy that proved invaluable when the roof collapsed.
"We are not going to put firemen in harm's way," McDonough said.
CBS 2 combed through building inspection records that include citations this year and last requiring improvements to a boiler system. Complaints that came through 311 showed few issues.
Fire officials said workers didn't report any immediate cause for the fire, though they suspect materials inside this facility that makes pork rinds and ships them around the country may have further fueled the fire with grease.
"There wasn't a mention of any violations. The place is very clean," McDonough said. "I have been in that place two or three times before so it is very well managed. So I don't think that's an issue."
First responders began clearing the scene and lifting street closures a few hours after the fire started, though they were forced back to control lingering hot spots.
Firefighters tell us the office of fire investigation will take over, looking into exactly what caused this fire. They said much of the structure should be salvageable, despite the roof collapse.
